AAPA House of Delegates 2018

The AAPA House of Delegates (HOD) meeting is an annual meeting which occurs during the AAPA National conference. It is an opportunity for all constituents’ organizations to have representation at a national level, as well as an opportunity to vote on AAPA bylaws and house policies. The Illinois Academy of PAs has six seats (votes) this year in the HOD, and will be taking an active role in advancing PA initiatives. This includes advocating for full implementation of Optimal Team Practice (OTP) nation-wide. IAPA is also spearheading a proposed house policy this year which would have the AAPA support elimination of all PA-Physician Ratio restrictions imposed by state, national or other third-party entities. The IAPA is proud to represent its members at the annual conference. If any members have questions or concerns, please contact your AAPA HOD Delegates at illinoispas@affinity-strategies.com.

AAPA Delegates

Erik Pauls, PA-C

AAPA Delegate

Janet Furman, MMS, PA-C

AAPA Delegate

Desmond Watt, PA-C

AAPA Delegate

Optimal Team Practice (OTP) 2018

In May 2017, AAPA’s House of Delegates approved updates to its Guidelines for State Regulation of PAs to address these marketplace obstacles.

These updates, often referred to as “Optimal Team Practice,” call for laws and regulations that do FOUR things.

Emphasize PAs’ commitment to team practice;

Authorize PAs to practice without an agreement with a specific physician—enabling practice-level decisions about collaboration.

Create separate majority-PA boards to regulate PAs, or give authority to healing arts or medical boards that have as members both PAs and physicians who practice with PAs; and

Authorize PAs to be directly reimbursed by all public and private payers.

It is important to note that Optimal Team Practice is about team practice – not independent practice. The new policy simply seeks to eliminate the legal requirement that a PA enter into an agreement with a specific physician in order to practice. Under the updated Guidelines, PAs will continue to collaborate with physicians in accordance with the standard of care, the patient’s condition, and the PA’s education and experience.

The Illinois Academy of PAs is working hard to remove barriers to PAs and their patients and implement OTP. Our journey began with modernization of the Illinois PA Practice Act in 2017 and the move to a collaborative relationship with physicians. This year in 2018, we have submitted legislation to remove the arbitrary, PA-physician ratio which is causing PAs to lose jobs they are well qualified for and new graduates having to leave the state to find work. We hope you will join us in making Illinois a great place practice medicine. Join IAPA now!